The Star-News

He won't be around anymore

John McCann's imminent departure from the Chula Vista City Council reminds me of another Republican on his way out: Richard Nixon.

Now, before McCann's minions and relatives start stomping their feet, gnashing their teeth and lighting their torches, somebody tell them to chill. Relax. Have a cookie.

I didn't say or suggest the termed out councilman is a crook. But, if on his last day in office Tuesday he were to steal a quote from the 37th president of the United States and make it his own, I bet others would see the similarities.

"You won't have McCann to kick around any more."

He could just as easily be addressing his remarks to colleague Councilman Rudy Ramirez as he might a pudgy wild haired columnist or any of the other people who have made public remarks about his time in office.

Last week McCann chastised Ramirez for making what McCann thinks were jokes about his 2009 deployment to Iraq.

The rebuke came at the tail end of a council meeting and on the heels of another public tongue lashing during a Veteran's Day celebration in which both men were present.

In short, McCann accused Ramirez of not giving him the respect he deserves as someone who wears a military uniform.

"Most of you know Mr. Ramirez was not in support of my military service and not in support of my family," McCann said at the Nov. 23 council meeting. He went on:

"What happened with Mr. Ramirez's comments will be a black blemish on our city."

But the public record doesn't show that Ramirez made disparaging remarks about McCann's service or his family. Ever. He did, however, advocate temporarily filling McCann's council seat while he was gone.

But sometimes facts can be bothersome details.

Say what you want about McCann, but at least acknowledge that during his time in office he has been an interesting and outspoken personality.

From his years ago public admonishment of then Mayor Steve Padilla for the use of a personal bodyguard, to a perhaps off-the-cuff remark suggesting a former Chula Vista city manager was "cooking the books" at City Hall, you never knew what you were going to get with John. And that made watching and writing about him fun.

But now that he's on his way out, there will be a void on the council dais. We won't have McCann to kick around anymore.